Kozmo and Haylee
One spring morning as I drove out of my driveway I
met my neighbor pulling a horse trailer up the road.
We both stopped and rolled down our windows to
chat. Just to have something to say, I nodded at the
trailer and said, "Bringing a new one in?" and he
replied, 'I've got just what you're looking for; a seven
month old paint stallion, a rescue horse I just traded
for, and since he ain't much of a horse, I can let you
have him for $250."
I told him I'd bring Jan over to his place later that day
and we'd take a look at him. We did. He was pretty
sad looking.
His hooves needed trimming, he was frightened and
shaking, he had a recent bite wound on his neck and
three parallel scratches that looked like he had run
into a barbed wire fence. So, naturally Jan decided
he was the horse for us and we needed to have a
place to keep him as soon as possible.
We didn't have the pasture land cleared yet, and I
got my neighbor to board the horse which Jan named
Kozmo, (I got to choose the spelling), for six weeks to
give me time to prepare a place for Kozmo to live.
About 3 weeks and several hundred dollars later we
were ready to receive Kozmo in his new corral.
We were advised to have Kozmo castrated to avoid
behavior problems, and it was pointed out that he
wasn't of the quality that a horse breeder would want
to reproduce.
I looked for a vet that would make a house call to
perform the emasculation surgery, and found that
none were willing unless I transported Kozmo to
another town to have it done. The neighbor that I
purchased Kozmo from said that he had performed
the surgery many times and would do it if I would help.
I asked a lot of questions about anesthesia and
infection control and he described the procedure he
would follow and showed me his surgical instrument.
I was satisfied that he knew what he was doing, and
aside from the actual ordeal, it turned out fine.
Kozmo recovered quickly.
We continued to board him with the neighbor until he
had completely healed and become calm. Then we
walked him down the road to our corral. I thought he
would remember my participation in the event and
refuse to come near me forever, but I was needlessly
worried.
Kozmo has turned out to be a real sweetheart. It
took about three days after he arrived at
Boggybottom before he initiated physical contact.
Jan was picking up his droppings, (gloved hand) and
putting them in a bucket for me to spread in the
garden. Kozmo found this to be very curious
behavior, and began to sniff her back. She was able
to reach out and touch him and from that point on,
we have been able to handle him and lead him and
he has made himself at home.
These photos were taken during the first week that
Kozmo joined the Boggybottom critter menagerie.
If you click on a photo you will see a larger version.
met my neighbor pulling a horse trailer up the road.
We both stopped and rolled down our windows to
chat. Just to have something to say, I nodded at the
trailer and said, "Bringing a new one in?" and he
replied, 'I've got just what you're looking for; a seven
month old paint stallion, a rescue horse I just traded
for, and since he ain't much of a horse, I can let you
have him for $250."
I told him I'd bring Jan over to his place later that day
and we'd take a look at him. We did. He was pretty
sad looking.
His hooves needed trimming, he was frightened and
shaking, he had a recent bite wound on his neck and
three parallel scratches that looked like he had run
into a barbed wire fence. So, naturally Jan decided
he was the horse for us and we needed to have a
place to keep him as soon as possible.
We didn't have the pasture land cleared yet, and I
got my neighbor to board the horse which Jan named
Kozmo, (I got to choose the spelling), for six weeks to
give me time to prepare a place for Kozmo to live.
About 3 weeks and several hundred dollars later we
were ready to receive Kozmo in his new corral.
We were advised to have Kozmo castrated to avoid
behavior problems, and it was pointed out that he
wasn't of the quality that a horse breeder would want
to reproduce.
I looked for a vet that would make a house call to
perform the emasculation surgery, and found that
none were willing unless I transported Kozmo to
another town to have it done. The neighbor that I
purchased Kozmo from said that he had performed
the surgery many times and would do it if I would help.
I asked a lot of questions about anesthesia and
infection control and he described the procedure he
would follow and showed me his surgical instrument.
I was satisfied that he knew what he was doing, and
aside from the actual ordeal, it turned out fine.
Kozmo recovered quickly.
We continued to board him with the neighbor until he
had completely healed and become calm. Then we
walked him down the road to our corral. I thought he
would remember my participation in the event and
refuse to come near me forever, but I was needlessly
worried.
Kozmo has turned out to be a real sweetheart. It
took about three days after he arrived at
Boggybottom before he initiated physical contact.
Jan was picking up his droppings, (gloved hand) and
putting them in a bucket for me to spread in the
garden. Kozmo found this to be very curious
behavior, and began to sniff her back. She was able
to reach out and touch him and from that point on,
we have been able to handle him and lead him and
he has made himself at home.
These photos were taken during the first week that
Kozmo joined the Boggybottom critter menagerie.
If you click on a photo you will see a larger version.
My friend John's son's girlfriend manages a
stable for a major Georgia University. She
advised that we needed a second horse to keep
Kozmo company. She said horses sometimes
become depressed when there are no other
horses around them. So, we bought Haylee, our
2 year old, coffee colored mare shown above
with Jan and Kozmo.
stable for a major Georgia University. She
advised that we needed a second horse to keep
Kozmo company. She said horses sometimes
become depressed when there are no other
horses around them. So, we bought Haylee, our
2 year old, coffee colored mare shown above
with Jan and Kozmo.
As I work to expand the corral Kozmo becomes tired from
watching me and has to lay down for a while, something
we've noticed he is inclined to do frequently.
watching me and has to lay down for a while, something
we've noticed he is inclined to do frequently.
